SMALL TALK Legally Blonde bumper edition! We are always on the look out for new members, so this is the date for them to show us what they can do!! If you know of anyone who is interested please let them know of this date. Here are the details. WHEN : These will be held on SUNDAY NOVEMBER 30TH commencing at 2pm WHERE : WATCOMBE JUNIOR SCHOOL, MOOR LANE, TORQUAY, TQ2 8NU. WHO FOR : Anyone who wishes to join the Company as a performing member and has not previously been a member of the Company OR has not performed with the company in the last three years. Therefore, if you are a past member and have not been in a show since The King and I in 2011, then you will need to come along to these auditions, even if you have paid a subscription in the meantime. WHO DOES NOT NEED TO ATTEND : Any acting member of the society who has performed with us since June 2011. So, if you were in Sound of Music Annie Get Your Gun or Sister Act, then you do not need to attend these new members auditions. WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING WITH YOU : Please come along ready to sing a song. Please bring sheet music with you. If you don t have sheet music then you should bring a backing track and the means to play it. We will not be able to hear anyone sing unaccompanied. You will also need to bring the annual subscription with you. This is 30 (cash, or cheque payable to Toads SMC) WHAT WILL HAPPEN : You will be asked to sing your song in front of the committee. A pianist will be present. You will sing on your own, the other auditionees will not be in the room. You will also be asked to learn a short simple dance routine, this will be with all the other auditionees and will usually take place first as a way of breaking the ice. New member s auditions are held in a friendly atmosphere. We recognise that some people will be very nervous, and we try to make the process as easy as possible. WHAT IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND ON THIS DATE : We are afraid you will have to wait until the next new members audition held later in 2015. However we might find ourselves in the position of requiring more acting members once we have auditioned legally Blonde and we might, at that stage, have further new members auditions. IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL AT THE NEW MEMBERS AUDITIONS : This means you are then eligible to be considered for the cast of Legally Blonde or any other production we are performing. For each production we audition the principals and dancers. We might not audition the ensemble if we have the required numbers, but if we find that we are over subscribed for the ensemble of a production, we will then audition the ensemble for that production. Sometimes we audition ALL cast members for a show, depending on the type and style of show. BEING ACCEPTED AT THE NEW MEMBERS AUDITION DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MEAN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN OUR PRODUCTIONS ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE TIME IS DOES MEAN YOU CAN APPEAR IN THE ENSEMBLE WITHOUT FURTHER AUDITION. TOADS SMC IS A REGISTERED CHARITY NO 268829 PAGE 1
Launch Night & the Show LEGALLY BLONDE Our fabulous 2015 production. Director Ruth Bettesworth Musical Director John Amery Choreographer Elaine Johnson PRINCESS THEATRE JUNE 23RD 27TH Nightly 7.30 matinee Saturday 2.30 LAUNCH NIGHT THURSDAY DECEMBER 4TH 7.30 ST LUKES CHURCH HALL, SHEDDEN HILL, TORQUAY. Anyone interested in being in this show, is requested to attend on this evening. Ruth will be present and will be able to talk to everyone about the show and what she is looking for. Audition pieces will also be available, and scripts and scores. John will be playing the music for us to listen to and this will be an evening to chat to each other, learn about the show, and register our interest in being in it. Dates will also be advised for auditions, which will be held in very early February after a few pre audition rehearsals in the last half of January. THE TIME COMMITMENT TO THE SHOW : Music rehearsals will take place weekly on Thursdays until Late March when floor rehearsals will commence. All prospective cast are asked to make Thursday nights available for music rehearsals that commitment is essential. Floor rehearsals will take place on various evenings during the week from late March up until show week. A schedule will be issued by the director once the show is cast. Obviously some people will have holidays during that period and we can work round those, and if you have a regular commitment on one night a week we might be able to work round that commitment. However we will not be able to work round is a holiday in the last 2 weeks before the show, or unavailability on Sunday June 21st from 3pm onwards, or the show week evenings June 22nd (dress) through to last day. THE COST OF BEING IN THE SHOW. As well as your subscription of 30 ( 20 for juniors) you will be asked to pay an appearance fee of 20 to be in the show. The sub is payable at the start of rehearsals, but the appearance fee has to be paid by the start of June, otherwise it will rise to 25. There might be other costs (that are voluntary) such as social events, meals out, sweatshirts, photo discs. Cheap at half the price and great value for a fabulous hobby. From our Chairman Well I certainly hit the ground running when I became chairman in April! We were right in the middle of Sister Act rehearsals - and what a show it turned out to be! Not only was it an incredible challenge but a most rewarding way to start my chairmanship. It will certainly go down as one of my all time favourites Now some 7 months on and so far so good. However, it most certainly is a team affair and I am incredibly well supported by my fellow committee colleagues and our President Mary Q without them my job would undoubtedly be more difficult. Since Sister Act the diary has been full of regular and varied fund raising events, ably organised by the Fund Raising Teams and Mary Q. Huge thanks must go to all those who have loyally & generously supported these events - our members, friends and the every growing TOADS Vice Presidents thank you all. I am now looking forward to December 4th when we will launch the 2015 TOADS production of Legally Blonde another amateur premiere and another challenging show! We also welcome back the dynamic & successful production team from Sister Act (Ruth John & Elaine) & hope to see old & new friends - see you then! On a personal note I shall be supporting Legally Blonde from front of house as during May I shall be awaiting the birth of my first precious grandchild (me a grandmother!) yes Louisa & Tom are expecting hooray! Love to all, Amanda Jenkins TOADS SMC IS A REGISTERED CHARITY NO 268829 PAGE 2
Interval You know you ve been in amateur theatre too long if. your living room sofa spends more time on stage than you do. you have your own secret family recipe for stage blood. you've ever appeared on stage wearing your own clothes. you've ever said, "Don't worry - we'll just hot glue it. you've ever appeared on stage in an outfit held together with hot glue. From our President Halloween has become such a fun time for children in the UK since the whole thing started in the States and we thought it would be a good idea to involve TOADS SMC too! In order to support Paignton Zoo, who generously provided us with an auction prize for our Ball last March, we agreed to arrange for a group to go and frighten the children who had booked in for a spooky night at the zoo! There were 9 of us over two nights and we had a ball! The makeup was so good we hardly recognised each other looming out of bushes and lurking behind buildings. I don t know about the kids we were leading around but I had a few frights when the likes of Andrew Prowse and Iain Douglas jumped out! And Lisa Fletcher s scream terrifying! Jill Pettigrew did a good job jangling her keys at all the right moments and Jean Liddiard, Cheryl Merrikin, Glynis Tame and Fi Humphreys honed their ghastly ghostly laughs to a tee. TOADS at the zoo took on a whole new meaning... (see the pictures on page 4 if you dare ) The November lunch was again very well attended and we were lucky enough to welcome John Keohane, retired Chief Yeoman Warder, H.M. Tower of London. A very entertaining Speaker and well received by all. The next lunch on 3rd December will have a festive air with a bit of ShowTime! Ann George, who used to perform in our shows some years ago, will be performing for us. Whilst still in November, 29th to be precise, our Cabaret Time is coming along well! We now have several acts to entertain us and I am sure we will have a super evening. I am running a waiting list but as there are always people who have to pull out at the last minute, you might be in with a chance if you give me your name now! Remember you don t have to perform to attend. There will be sparkling wine as you arrive and w i n e and cheeses during the evening with coffee to finish. Moving into December, we will be at Lincombe Manor on 13th for a concert and community carol singing. There will be a welcoming mulled wine on arrival and coffee and mince pies after the singing. Julie Hale is organising the concert and it is a great programme. Again we have limited numbers and we only have a few places left. Both the Cabaret Time and the Carols evening are 15 a head and both are black tie. Please make out cheques to TOADS SMC and let me have your remittances. Thanks. Lastly, In January (date to be confirmed) I am inviting all our Vice-Presidents to renew their membership at a special event. (I will have it finalised by the next newsletter) The VP sub is increasing this year to 30 but we are proposing that if you introduce a new Vice-President, then your sub for 2015 will remain at 25. You will still receive your complimentary programme and invitation to attend Civic Night to see Legally Blonde during the last week of June 2015. All the VP s have been so supportive this year and I am really grateful to you all and I want to try and keep the momentum going. Your involvement is a huge help to us and very much appreciated. Thank for your continued support! Mary Qiriaqi TOADS SMC IS A REGISTERED CHARITY NO 268829 PAGE 3
Photos from our Halloween antics at Paignton Zoo.BOOOOO Pictured are Iain Douglas, A n d rew P rowse, M a r y Qiriaqi, Lisa Fletcher, Glynis Tame & Jill Pettigrew try and guess who is who. LEGALLY BLONDE HOODIES Anyone wanting to order a zipped hoodie - the price is 15,a t shirt is 8. The hoodies come in small, medium, large and extra large as do the t shirts which also come in ladies and gents fittings. They can contact Elaine Johnson on her mobile 07850 023621 or email her at elainejohnson@talktalk.net with the order.if paying by cheque make payable to Mr A Pearson or cash to Elaine on receipt of item. Here are some pictures of the committee ladies wearing their brand new hoodies. TOADS SMC IS A REGISTERED CHARITY NO 268829 PAGE 4
More coffee specials! The dates for the next 2 coffee mornings are Saturday November 22nd and Saturday December 13th. St Martins Church Hall, Barton Hill Rd, Torquay. Between 11.15 and 1.15pm. For the December coffee morning the special will be Turkey, stuffing and Cranberry Baps. There will also be a Christmas raffle. Cheryl hasn t decided about Novembers offerings yet, but there will be the usual fabulous teas, coffee and lattes and cakes. Cheryl could do with a donation of cakes any offers? All are welcome to pop along to the coffee mornings. Bring your family and friends it s all money in the coffers and a good gossip. Mistletoe & Wine CHRISTMAS MEAL Riviera Centre, Torquay Dec 6th - 26 This will be a great evening and we have provisionally booked 30 places. Please give your orders to either Julie hale on 01803-310191 or Marguerite Green on 01626-364929 What s on the pad? our calendar of social events and the forthcoming production dates for your diary! November Friday 14th - Legally Blonde Film Show - 6:45 - Blue Walnut Cafe, Chelston - SOLD OUT Saturday 22nd - TOADS coffee morning - 11:15 to 1:15 - St Martins, Barton Hill Rd, Torquay Saturday 29th - Cabaret Time evening (see From our President article above). Sunday 30th - New Members Auditions - 2:00 - Watcombe Junior School, Moor Lane, Torquay December Wednesday 3rd - Monthly Luncheon with concert of songs performed by Anne George and friend - Paignton Club - Please reserve your space via Mary. Thursday 4th - Legally Blonde launch night - 7:30 St Lukes Church Hall, Shedden Hill, Torquay Saturday 6th - Christmas Dinner - English Riviera Centre, Torquay. Saturday 13th - TOADS coffee morning - 11:15 to 1:15 - St Martins, Barton Hill Rd, Torquay Saturday 13th - Mulled Wine and Mince Pies, Music and songs to listen to and Carol singing for all! - 7:30 for 8:00 - Lincombe Manor, Torquay - Please reserve your space via Mary (limited to 50 guests). Don t forget to get in contact with us for any articles or items you would like to see in future editions - smalltalk@toads.org.uk TOADS SMC IS A REGISTERED CHARITY NO 268829 PAGE 5